the pit room expands

Guy Fieri-approved Montrose barbecue joint fires up hot new Memorial location

The Pit Room uses offset smokers.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

A popular Montrose barbecue joint is heading west. The Pit Room will open a second location in the Memorial City area in the third quarter of 2023.

Located in MetroNational's Benignus Plaza, the new restaurant will occupy approximately 6,200-square-feet just west of the Gateway Memorial City development (10301-A Katy Freeway). Considerably larger than the Montrose original, the new restaurant will combine both the Pit Room and its adjacent bar the Patio at the Pit Room into one space. The new restaurant will feature seating for 100 inside, 25 at an indoor-outdoor bar, and 80 on a covered, 2,600-square-foot patio. A dedicated to-go counter will allow customers to purchase barbecue, sausages, sauces, and more.

“We are excited to grow the Pit Room concept and serve a new area of Houston,” owner Michael Sambrooks said in a statement. “The Pit Room is our original concept, really our baby, and we look forward to serving the residents in Memorial and on the West Side.”

Opened in 2016, the Pit Room serves Central Texas-style barbecue prepared in offset barrel smokers. It has drawn a devoted following, including an appearance on a 2021 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

In addition to the usual meats such as brisket, pork ribs, and three kinds of housemade sausage, the restaurant has built a devoted following for its Mexican and Tex-Mex-influenced sides such as chips and queso, elotes, and charro beans. Three kinds of tacos, served on housemade tortillas made with brisket fat, are always popular with regulars. Texas Monthly taco editor José Ralat hails the smoked chicken taco with garlic cloves as "the magic order" at the Pit Room.

The new location will bring the Pit Room's full menu to Memorial. A larger kitchen will allow it to serve a bar menu for game watchers, a "specialty grill menu," and more desserts.

“We are pleased to announce the arrival of the Pit Room’s legendary Central-Texas barbecue to Memorial City,” MetroNational vice president of retail leasing Danna Diamond said. “This hometown favorite reinforces our commitment to provide special dining experiences for our community.”

openings barbecue news-you-can-eat

firing up Montrose

New Houston seafood restaurant adds live-fire flair to Japanese flavors

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

An ambitious new seafood restaurant is coming to Montrose next week. Casa Kenji will open on Tuesday, December 9.

Located in the former Andiron space (3201 Allen Pkwy), Casa Kenji is the first Houston project for New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre, a former LSU standout who played briefly in the NFL before establishing Kenji and Kenji Kazoku restaurants in New Orleans. Together with former LSU teammate John “B-John” Ballis and Houston chef Bigler “Biggie” Cruz, Casa Kenji will blend Latin and Japanese influences while also incorporating live-fire elements into the restaurant’s dishes. Cruz, whose resume includes a lengthy stint at Uchi as well as working at critically acclaimed Houston seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen, tells CultureMap that Casa Kenji’s approach is the first time he can be himself in the kitchen.

“My perfect restaurant was always based on the live fire and sushi combination,” Cruz says. “My mom cooked with wood for my entire life. The live fire creates completely different flavors. The smoky flavors, the sear from the charcoal — they create a different type of memory for me.”

The use of live fire techniques will permeate Casa Kenji’s menus in ways both big and small. For example, diners will be able to feast on prawns grilled directly on charcoal and served with yuzu chili garlic, or savor lightly seared Japanese wagyu tataki paired with mushrooms. Even raw dishes will benefit from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and stove.

“Every vegetable we peel, we make into an ash that’s a topping for the dishes. It adds a different layer of flavor,” Cruz says. Look for it in the scallop aguachile, among others.

Even vegetables get a smoky component, as in a cabbage dish that’s braised with dashi and soy sauce before being roasted and served with an onion soubise that Cruz says he developed based on techniques he learned from Golfstrømmen chef Christopher Haatuft.

“It’s rich, super savory, with smoky layers, and you get brightness from the shiso gremolata. I think it will be a signature dish for us,” the chef says.

One change to the interior is the addition of a six-seat omakase counter that looks into the kitchen. Cruz promises those diners will have an even more elevated experience than the restaurant’s regular menu, including ingredients such as Japanese wagyu and premium fish flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.

Beyond its cuisine, Casa Kenji hopes to stand out with its spacious outdoor patio. Since very few Japanese-inspired restaurants in Houston offer outdoor seating, it should appeal to diners who want a little vitamin D along with their tuna crudo.

“We’re proud to showcase the craft and creativity that defines Casa Kenji,” co-founders Cruz, Ballis, and DuPre said in a statement. “With chef Bigler Cruz at the helm — blending live-fire technique with the discipline of Japanese tradition — we’re equally honored and excited to share a unique concept that is truly rooted in passion, culture, and community.”

Casa Kenji will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 4 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.